


Trying To Put It Into Words

by annalikestotalk



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, actual human disaster derek nurse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-25 00:31:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9794420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annalikestotalk/pseuds/annalikestotalk
Summary: Dex isn't quite sure what's happening.He knows where he is, sure, and he knows who he's with. He's standing in the Haus kitchen, covered in flour because he'd decided that today he was going to be adventurous and tackle pie making without Bitty there to supervise, and he knows that Nursey is there with him because up until a moment ago they were having some stupid argument about lord knows what, Dex can't even remember because frankly these days they fight more as something to do than for any real malicious reason. Everything seems normal.Except for the part where Nursey's kissing him. That's not normal at all.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So I should probably space these out a little more, upload them slower, give myself a chance to write some more and not throw everything I have up at the same time, but I'm really proud of this one and I got some really lovely feedback on the last one, so. 
> 
> By the way, if you did comment on the last one and I didn't reply, please don't be offended. I genuinely don't know what to say in response to all the nice things you've been saying, but please know that I'm very grateful!

Dex isn't quite sure what's happening.

He knows where he is, sure, and he knows who he's with. He's standing in the Haus kitchen, covered in flour because he'd decided that today he was going to be adventurous and tackle pie making _without_ Bitty there to supervise, and he knows that Nursey is there with him because up until a moment ago they were having some stupid argument about lord knows what, Dex can't even remember because frankly these days they fight more as something to do than for any real malicious reason. Everything seems normal.

Except for the part where Nursey's kissing him. That's not normal at all.

Dex feels like the moment he thinks this is also the moment Nursey realises it, because as soon as the thought forms in his head, Nursey pulls back and just looks at him. Dex thinks maybe he's supposed to say something here but he doesn't really know what, so he just sort of goes with -

"This doesn't mean you get extra pie."

Nursey just laughs a little and Dex is trying to stay 'chill' because he knows what he's like, okay? He knows that if he freaks out he's gonna get defensive and probably a little mean, and he really doesn't want to ruin this. As long as Nursey bothers to tell him what 'this' is any time soon.

"Was that okay? You're okay with this, right?" Nursey looks a little unsure, like he thinks that kisses from him are a thing Dex could ever not want. Cause look, Nursey's an attractive guy, okay? And if Dex is being honest with himself (which he tries to avoid doing too often), he's thought about kissing him more than a few times before.

"I... Um." He's blushing, he knows, but it's not like he can help it. His words aren't coming out right and Nursey's looking at him like he's something fragile, like he's something he's scared of breaking, and Dex has never been looked at like that before, isn't quite sure what to do with the way it makes his chest ache like something's pressing down on it. "What... what is this?"

Nursey frowns a little bit, which is 100% not the reaction Dex was looking for. He almost goes to say something (though he's not quite sure what) when Nursey starts muttering to himself.

"Idiot. Had a whole damn speech. You were supposed to say that before the kiss. Stupid." He mutters something else that Dex doesn't quite catch before he looks back up and smiles, the one that says he's trying to be chill and is, in actual fact, missing it by about a mile.

"Sorry." He says, then frowns again. "No, not sorry, that's not a good way to start that. I'm not sorry about it. The kiss, I mean. I mean, I am sorry, I shouldn't have just jumped on you like that, but like, it was a good kiss. I mean for me! It was cool if it wasn't for you. I mean, not cool, cause, you know, but-"

"Nurse."

"Right. Sorry." He smiles again, this time bordering on bashful. "I had this whole speech, you know? Super well written, very romantic, some of my best work." He sighs. "I guess there wasn't much point in stressing about that now. I spent weeks trying to get it right."

Dex is kind of touched. No one's ever gone to such trouble for him before, and certainly not over a confession.

"Seriously, do you know how few ways there are to write that someone is pale enough to have never seen the sun and yet angrier than it and still make it sound pretty?"

Dex is slightly less touched. There may be some glaring.

"That... may have come out wrong." Nursey winces a little. "Sorry. Perhaps if you weren't being so distracting, I would have remembered to give the speech first and kiss you second and we wouldn't be here right now."

Dex raises an eyebrow and looks down at himself. He's wearing an old apron that was once white and is now the grey off-white of things that have been in constant use for many years, covered head to toe in flour from the pastry, and he's pretty sure there's some filling on him too. The only way he could be considered distracting right now is to someone who had a serious enjoyment of tidiness, and Dex has seen Nursey's dorm, okay, he does not fit that description.

"Look, I think we all understand what I'm trying to say here, okay? Can't we all just accept that and move on? Do I have to keep digging myself into these holes?"

"You're the lit student, Nurse" Dex smirks, but decides to take a little pity on him nonetheless. "But yeah, I think I know what you're getting at."

"So?" Nursey asks, and honestly, the look on his face is so open and hopeful that Dex feels like he needs to sit down for a second. Then he realises that Nursey is expecting _him_ to say it and the blush returns.

"So... I like you too, I guess." His eyes keep flicking from Nursey's to the window behind him.

"You guess?" Nursey's starting to look a little worried, and Dex hurries to correct himself.

"I do, I like you Nurse. I..." He falters for a moment, sighs, thinks 'screw it', and pushes on. "I like your dumb face and the way you smile when you think no one is looking. I like the way you're so passionate, despite your damn 'chill' facade." Nursey looks like he's about to interrupt indignantly so Dex hurries ahead, almost tripping over the words as he tries to get them out. "I like your muscles and your ridiculous beanies and your tattoo, oh my god, your tattoo, Nurse. I like that I can argue with you. I like that I can genuinely talk to you, when you're not being pretentious. I like that I can call you out on it when you are." Nursey's looking at him like he's never seen anything more incredible, and Dex decides he should probably stop talking soon. "I like the look in your eyes when I say something funny but you don't want to laugh, because that would be admitting defeat. I like the way you kissed me like I was important, like it mattered. I like you, Nurse." He pauses. "Derek. I like you."

Nursey looks like he's not quite sure what to do with all that information, but slowly, his eyes seem to focus and he starts whispering "oh my god," and then saying "oh my god," and then he's kissing Dex again, breaking away every few moments to shriek "oh my god!" before coming back for another kiss. He's being ridiculous and Dex can't stop laughing, but somehow they're still good kisses, despite being barely kisses at all.

"And I thought my speech was romantic." Nursey says a few minutes later, when they've both calmed down a little.

"Knowing you Nurse, romantic is the least of what it was." It doesn't sound like a compliment, but it's said with a smile and a little humour to it. "You're going to have to let me read that, you know."

"No way," Nursey says, grinning wildly. "I'm saving that for a special occasion."

-

Four years later, Nursey will stand in front of all of their friends and family, hundreds of people, and read (a slightly... revised version of) the speech he meant to give Dex the first time he kissed him at their wedding. It is very well written, and it is _very_ romantic. It's some of Nursey's best work.

Dex makes him promise never to write anything like it again.

**Author's Note:**

> Am I just naming things with lines of songs I have stuck in my head when I'm finishing them up? Sure. Do the songs have anything to do with the fics? Only if it's by coincidence. Does this rise from my inability to title things with any competency? Why yes, yes it does, thank you for asking.
> 
> If you're wondering, the title's from You Are In Love by Taylor Swift.
> 
> Constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated!
> 
> Come talk to me at annalikestotalk.tumblr.com


End file.
